Medical and Hospital News
MOON DAILY
NASA delays crewed lunar landing to 2027
NASA delays crewed lunar landing to 2027
By Issam AHMED
Washington (AFP) Dec 5, 2024

The United States is delaying its planned return to the Moon from 2026 to "mid-2027," citing heat shield issues and other problems plaguing its Orion crew capsule, NASA officials said Thursday.

The announcement comes as President-elect Donald Trump prepares to take office in January and could significantly reshape the direction of the US space agency.

Artemis, named after Apollo's twin sister in Greek mythology, was unveiled in 2017 as NASA's ambitious program to establish a long-term presence on the Moon and apply those lessons to eventual Mars missions.

Its first mission, Artemis 1, was an uncrewed test flight to the Moon and back in 2022 after multiple delays.

But teams reviewing the data later learned that Orion's heat shield eroded in unexpected ways, and there were also issues with its electrical and life support systems.

"We were able to recreate the problem here on Earth, and now we know the root cause, and this has allowed us to devise a path forward," NASA Administrator Bill Nelson told reporters during a press conference.

The problems have pushed back the entire Artemis timeline. Artemis 2, a crewed lunar flyby, has been delayed from September 2025 to April 2026. Artemis 3, intended to see the first woman and first person of color set foot on the Moon's ice-rich south pole, is now slated for "mid-2027."

"That will be well ahead of the Chinese government's announced intention that they have already publicly stated of 2030," added Nelson. "The safety of our astronauts is always first in our decisions. It is our North Star. We do not fly until we are ready."

NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy elaborated on the heat shield issue, explaining that during atmospheric reentry, gases built up inside the shield, creating internal pressure that caused cracking and pieces to fall away.

In addition to Orion's troubles, NASA is awaiting a modified version of SpaceX's Starship rocket to serve as a lunar lander.

Although SpaceX is making rapid progress through flight tests, it still faces significant hurdles, including proving it can perform complex refueling in orbit. The spacesuits for Artemis, developed by Axiom, also remain under development.

Trump on Wednesday nominated Jared Isaacman to lead NASA, signaling a likely shift toward even greater collaboration with the commercial space sector in his second term.

Observers anticipate sweeping changes -- from possibly canceling the expensive Space Launch System (SLS) rocket used for Artemis to scrapping the Moon mission altogether in favor of Mars.

- 'Keep out' -

Nelson, however, defended the Moon-first strategy, citing the importance of prospecting its south pole for water ice deposits that could sustain human bases and provide rocket fuel for missions deeper into space.

"It's important, in an area where we think there is such promise...that we establish our presence there, so that China would not be there and say 'keep out.'"

Isaacman's nomination has raised concerns about potential conflicts of interest, given his close financial ties to SpaceX chief Elon Musk, who is both a key advisor to Trump and set to co-lead a government efficiency commission.

The 41-year-old founder of Shift4 Payments became the first private citizen to perform a spacewalk back in September during a SpaceX mission. He has also publicly advocated against NASA selecting Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin to develop a second lunar landing system, arguing that Starship alone is sufficient.

Nelson stressed: "We have contracts with two companies for landers -- as long as we're a nation of the rule of law, those contracts are going to be operative."

But he also struck a diplomatic tone, saying he had called Isaacman to congratulate him and remained "optimistic" about NASA's future under the new administration.

Related Links
Mars News and Information at MarsDaily.com
Lunar Dreams and more

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
MOON DAILY
Lunar research station advances global collaboration and talent development
Sydney, Australia (SPX) Dec 04, 2024
The International Lunar Research Station (ILRS), led by China in collaboration with multiple nations, is positioning itself as a hub for technological innovation, scientific exploration, and the development of skilled professionals in space-related disciplines, a United Nations-affiliated official stated. China has been at the forefront of fostering international talent through its ILRS initiative, leveraging a robust education infrastructure established at top universities. According to Jing Guif ... read more

MOON DAILY
Natural disasters cause $310bn in economic losses in 2024: Swiss Re

India, Pakistan share climate challenges but not solutions

13 missing after south China railway construction site collapse

Eight dead after 'overloaded' boat capsizes in southwest China

MOON DAILY
Deciphering city navigation AI advances GNSS error detection

GPS alternative for drone navigation leverages celestial data

China advances next-generation BeiDou satellite navigation system

Space Systems Command and U.S. Navy achieve major MGUE program milestone

MOON DAILY
Mammoths were central to ancient American diets says new study

A fossil discovery sheds light on coexistence of early human ancestors

Iberian Neolithic expertise in archery revealed by exceptional findings in Spain

How humans and dogs began their longstanding bond 12000 years ago

MOON DAILY
Survey shows decline in Uganda's lions but hyenas thrive

World's oldest known wild bird is expecting again, aged 74

Breakthrough AI model decodes plant genetic language

Satellite analysis connects climate change to elephant deaths in Botswana

MOON DAILY
US lawmakers back Covid Chinese lab leak theory after two-year probe

US lawmakers back Covid Chinese lab leak theory after two-year probe

Chinese film about Covid-19 wins Taiwan's top Golden Horse prizes

Common water disinfectant creates potentially toxic byproduct: study

MOON DAILY
Trump names ex-senator Perdue as pick for US ambassador to China

Cathay Pacific pulls in-flight Family Guy episode mentioning Tiananmen

Hong Kong mega development plan to devour villages, wetlands

Nepal PM departs for China visit, breaking with India tradition

MOON DAILY
Somali pirates demand ransom for Chinese vessel

Four killed in Colombia airstrike against drug cartel

US lawmakers warn Hong Kong becoming financial crime hub

El Salvador troops target gangs in large-scale operation

MOON DAILY
Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.